The Janata Dal(United)-Bharatiya Janata Party combine got majority in the Bihar poll Tuesday.

In the elections, second in eight months, forced by a premature dissolution of the 243-member assembly, the Nitish Kumar led-National Democratic Alliance bagged 140 seats, 18 more than the halfway mark of 122. Kumar's Janata Dal-United won 86 seats and BJP 54 seats against 55 and 37 won in the March elections, which had thrown up a hungverdict, President's rule and the consequence dissolution.

NDA's chief ministerial candidate 54-year-old Kumar, an electrical engineer who led coalition to a convincing victory, said good governance will be his top most priority and that he would be fair to all religious communities and castes, including the extremely backward classes and deprived sections.

He is expected to be elected leader of the JD(U)-BJP legislature party and likely to be sworn in on Thursday at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

RJD, which had a vice-like grip on power ever since 1990, finally lost in the battle of ballots securing 53 seats and its alliance partner Congress getting nine seats, one less than last time.

RJD had won 75 in the last elections.

Another alliance partner Communist Party of India-Marxist managed to get a lone seat.